Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-12-23

"Do nothing of the kind, said Allan; and
then to John: Come in here a moment
want TO speak to YOU"
John entered the garden, and the door was
closed behind him. A candle stood on the
gravel walk, winking little in the draughts;
it threw inconstant sparkles on the dumped
holly, struck the light and darkness to and
fro like veil on Alans features, and sent his
shadow lowering behind him. All beyond
was inscrutable; and Johns dizzy brain
rocked with the shadow. Yet even so, it
struck him that Alan was pale, and his voice,
when he spoke, unnatural.
"What brings you here to-night!" he be-
gan. 81 don't want, God knows, to seem un-
friendly; but ! cannot take you in, Nchol-
son; | cannot do it.
ALAN" said John, you've Just got tol
You don't know the mess I'm in; the COVER
nor's turned me out, and daren't show my
face in an inn, because they're down on me
for murder or something's"
"For whatE' cried Alan, starting.
Murder, / believe says John.
"Murder!' repeated Alan, and passed his
hand over his eyes. "What was that you
were saying!' he asked again.
THAT they were down on me-" said John
SIN accused Of murder, by what can make
out; and I've really had n dreadful day of it,
Alan, and | can't sleep on the road side on Il
night like thisat least not with a portman-
teau." he pleaded
"Hush!n said Alan, with his head on one
side; and then, "Did You hear nothingl" he
asked.
"No,' said John, thrilling, he knew not
why, with communicated terror. "No,
heard nothing; whyN And then, as there
bp 10, ,,laa
But | say, Alan, you've got to take me in.
Ill go right away to bed if you have anything
to do. | seem tn have been drinking; | was
that Knocked over. wouldn't turn you
away, Alan, if you were down on your luck
"NoN returned Alan. Neither will you,
then. Come and let's get your portman-
teau.n
The cabman was paid, and drove Off down
the long, lamp lighted hill, and the two
friends stood on the sidewalk beside the port
nanteau till the last rumble of the wheels had
died in silence. 1t seemed to John as though
Alan attached Importance to this departure
of the cab, and John, who was in no state to
crltlcise, shared profoundly in the feeling
When the stiffness was once more perfect,
Alan shOuldered the pOrtmanteau, carried it
in, and shut and locked the garden door; and
then, once more, abstraction seemed to fall
upon him, and he stood with his hand on the
key, until the co',l began to nibble at Johns
fingers.
why are we standing here" asked John.
"EhM said Alan, blankly.
"Why, man, you don't seem yourself" said
the other.
"No I'm not myself" said Alan; and he
sat down ON the portmanteau and put his
face in his hands.
John stood beside him swaying little, and
looking about him at the swaying shadows,
the fitting slnlrklcs, and the steady stars
overhead, until the MINDLESS cold began to
touch him through his clothes on the bare
skin. Even iii his bemused intelligence,
wonder began to awake
81 say, let's come on to the house." he said
at last.
eyes, let's como on to the house." repeated
Alan.
And he rose at once, reshoul lorod tho port
manteau, and taking tho candle in lis other
hand, moved forward 20 the lodge This was
long, low building, smothcred in creepcls;
and now, except for some chinks Of light be-
tween the dining room shutters, it was
plunged in darkness and silence.
In the hall Alan lighted another candle,
gave it TO John, aau opened tho door of
bedroom.
Here" said he; ego to bed Don't mind
me, john You'll be sorry for ne when you
know
"Wait bit" returned John; GIVE got so
cold with all that standing about. Let's go
into the dining room minute. just one
glass to warm nc, Alan
On the table in the hail stood glass, and
bottle with whisky label On tray. 1t was
plain the bottle had been just opened, for the
cork and corkscrew lay beside is.
Take that said Alan, passing John the
whisky, and then with a certain roughnesa
pushed his friend into tho bedroom and
closed the door behind him.
John stood anlaz,d then he shook tho bot
tie, and to his further wonder, found it
partly empty. Three or four glasses were
gone. Alan must have uncorkcd bottle Of
whisky and dra..; three or four glasses ono
after tho ocEer, without sitting down, for
there was 10 chair, and that in lis own cold
lobby on this freezing night 1t fully ex.
planned his eccentric.ties, john reflected
sagely, as he mixed himself grog. Poor
Alan He was drunk; and what a dreadful
thing was drink, and what q slave to it poor
Alan was, to drink in this unsociable, I'M
comfortable faslionl The man who would
drink alone, except for health's sake-as John
was now doing-was IA man utterly lost. He
took the grog out, and felt hazier, but
warmer 1t was hard work opening the
portmanteau and finding his night things;
and before he was undressed the cold had
struck home to him once more "Well,n said
he, Just drop more. There's no sense in
getting i'll with all this other trouble And
presently dreamlcss slumber buried him.
When John awolie it was day The low
winter sun was already in the heavens, but
his watch had stopped, and it was impossible
to tell tho hour exactly. Ten, he guessed it.,
and made haste to dress, dismal reflections
crowding on his mind. But it was less from
terror than from regret that he now suffered
and with his regret there were mingled
cutting pangs of penitence. There had fallen
upon him blow. cruel, indeed, but yet only
the punishment of old misdoing; and he had
rebelled and plunged into fresh sin. The rod
had been used to chasten, and he had bit tho
Christening fingers. His father was right
John had justiti him; John was no guest
for decent peoples houses, and no fit associate
for decent peoples children. And had "a